Joe Anderson: Jewel in the crown Southport should 'punch more above its weight'

Southport is a jewel in the North West's crown but should 'punch more above its weight', according to Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson.

Speaking to ITV News, Mayor Anderson said that the need for economic growth was increasingly urgent as a result of planned government cuts in 2020.

Mayor Anderson is running to be elected as mayor of the Liverpool City Region, a new role which will be created in May 2017 as part of a devolution deal between leaders of the Merseyside and Halton councils and the Government. The deal sees powers handed over from Whitehall to the region’s leaders.

He said: “I've got fond memories of Southport when I was a young boy, coming here for days out. Even as I've grown up and brought my children here, you can see that it's struggling and while there's been investment, for instance in new facilities, you can still see empty units and that is a real concern for me. Not just here, in this end of the city region, but that is the case in other parts of the city region

“Economic growth and prosperity is vital to the city region. In 2020, government take away central government funding from all councils and we've got to grow our business base. We've got to actually create new businesses and bring in business rates to support the things that we need across the whole city region.”

Mayor Anderson added that Southport could become a Mayoral Development Zone, which would increase investment and aim to attract more businesses to the town.

“I think that if we accept that you can do nothing then that's a defeatist attitude. This is still, not only a jewel in the crown of the Liverpool City Region, it's a jewel in the crown of the North West. It beautiful, you just have to look out at the beaches, going right out to Formby and Crosby, it's absolutely amazing

“The reality is that the tourism that is available here in terms of the air show, the fireworks displays, we've got to build on that cultural offer to attract people here. I'm not saying that it's going to completely transform the city region and it's going to take the place of, for instance, Liverpool City Centre, but it can certainly punch more above it's weight than it currently is doing.

“We've got to have ambition and we've got to have belief and passion that we can transform this particular area. If we don't grow our business rates across the whole city region, then we are not going to be able to cope with the demand for the services we want so it's important that we have a focused plan.”